“Dad.” Kellan barreled through the door. “Brady swallowed a quarter.”
Molly heaved awell-helllaugh.
“Why did he do that?” Gavin asked, already heading to the backyard.
“I dared him to be a pinball machine. I didn’t think he’d actually swallow it.” Kellan threw his hands in the air. “It was my quarter, too.”
“I can feel it in my stomach.” Brady rubbed at his tummy. “Am I gonna turn into a zombie?”
“No,” Molly said at the same time Gavin said, “Maybe.”
Gavin looked at her. “Do you know the protocol for this?”
“I’m a mom.” She lifted her shoulder. “Of course I do.”
This was not the first time she’d had to deal with a little change.
Epilogue
“Half of motherhood is screwing it up. The other half is fixing it.” —Molly Princeton
Six months later…
The boys were all at Rachel’s house for the next couple of days. Though Oliver didn’t always go with them, Rachel often invited him along.
Part of it was because the three boys had become very much a functioning unit over the past months. Like brothers. Ollie had makeshift brothers, and they all embraced this change with the resiliency only children could have.
Which was why Molly and Gavin could have their special Molly and Gavin naked time in the middle of the day on a weekday. Gavin had taken some time off.
Also, she’d made him a little something. That it took six months was only a testament to her unwillingness to quit.
“You’re going to laugh.” She reached under the side of the bed and pulled out the gift bag. She’d stuffed the blue bag full of tissue paper.
“I’m always game to laugh with you, Molly.” Gavin pulled the tissue out.
“Just don’t laugh too hard.” She laid her hand on his thigh, because she could.
“Oh my God.” Gavin pulled the mess of a scarf she’d been working on since the night of their class. “You finished your scarf.”
“No.” She shook her head. “I finishedyourscarf.”
He tossed it around his neck. The thing was ridiculous, and the stitches were not even. But somehow they held together.
Again, she was pretty sure there was a life lesson there. She’d figure out what it was later.
Right now, Gavin was totally naked except for the horrible scarf she’d made.
“It’s amazing.” He kissed her. It was their way. “I love it. Thank you.”
She ran her hands up and over his back, holding him there on top of her. “I’ve also been thinking about that thing you keep bringing up.”
“The thing?” he asked.
“You know, the thing.” He was always bringing it up. Sometimes he even brought it up when he was going down on her.
“Getting married?” he asked.
Yup. That’s the one. “I wanna do it. Let’s do it.”
